JACKSON – The Planning Board has approved an application that proposed the construction of new homes off Clearstream Road, Jackson. The applicant, 300 Clearstream, sought municipal approval to subdivide five existing lots into nine lots for single-family homes on 20 acres on Clearstream Road.
Clearstream Road runs between Brewers Bridge Road and Hope Chapel Road.
300 Clearstream was represented attorney Raymond Shea and engineer Ian Borden at the April 16 meeting of the board.
“This is an application that requires some deep thinking because you are in two different zones and meeting two different requirements. While this is a nine-lot subdivision the board has in consideration, only five new homes are being proposed, and we are dealing with existing homes that will remain,” Shea said.
Most of the property is in an R-1 residential zone, while a portion of the property is in an R-3 residential zone, according to the testimony.
“We are proposing to subdivide the R-1 properties in accordance with the R-1 zone. The R-1 zone allows 1-acre lots as long as we provide public sewer service and we are proposing public sewer service,” Borden said.
Two existing homes on Brewers Bridge Road will remain. Both homes have public sewer service.
There are two existing homes on Clearstream Road – one home will be demolished and one home will remain.
“The home in the R-1 zone will be demolished and replaced by a new home and it, too, will be connected to a public sewer. The (other) home is in the R-3 zone (3-acre lots) and that house will remain in the R-3 zone. We do not propose any other houses in the R-3 zone other than that existing house to remain,” Borden said.
During the public hearing, resident Joseph Giordano said he has been a resident of Jackson for 53 years. He said his grandfather arrived in Jackson in 1946, so “we are not newbies.”
“Fully understand we need to preserve our integrity of Clearstream Road and have a constant standard (about) building on that road. There are 37 homes on Clearstream Road,” Giordano said.
He said previous development applications were rejected because they “did not fit the road.”
“It is a nice road, a country road. It is quiet, well not any more, but this (application) is just going to bring more traffic, noise and pollution up and down a road that was not meant to be like that. I know none of (the board members) live there, but I do and I think it is a bad idea,” Giordano said.
Shea clarified that no housing is being proposed on Clearstream Road. He said the developer will be removing two houses on Clearstream Road and putting them in the development. The development will be off Clearstream Road.
Resident Brenda Williams said she supports advancement and development, “but at what cost to the homeowners who are already there?”
“We purposely moved to this area 25-plus years ago, specifically (and) strategically not to be in a development. We wanted a private area, we chose to be in a private area,” Williams said. “I am not taking away from what anyone else is trying to do, but at what cost to the rest of us who actually live there?”
Other residents spoke about their appreciation for Jackson’s environment and the rural/wooded aesthetic they moved to the town to enjoy.
When testimony and public comment concluded, Township Council President Ken Bressi, who sits on the board, made a motion to approve the application.
Vice Chairman Andrew Kern seconded the motion and said, “Living less than a half-mile from this project and seeing some of the other projects that could be coming instead, I would like to second the motion to approve this project.”
Board members voted unanimously to approve the 300 Clearstream application.
